By Ajibola Adedoye
In a renewed effort to enhance trade facilitation, regional cooperation, and border security, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Area Command, has held a Joint Border Management Stakeholders’ Engagement with its Beninese counterparts, alongside other security agencies and business representatives from both countries.
The meeting, held at the Seme-Krake Joint Border Post, brought together key players in regional trade to discuss solutions to existing challenges and strengthen economic collaboration between Nigeria and Benin Republic.
According to a statement issued by CSC Isah Sulaiman, Public Relations Officer of the Command, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Wale Adenuga, emphasized that the Seme-Krake border remains a strategic trade corridor in the West African sub-region, playing a pivotal role in intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework.
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Comptroller Adenuga explained that the engagement was in line with the directive of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, to eliminate all bottlenecks hindering the free flow of legitimate goods and persons, in accordance with ECOWAS protocols and relevant trade laws.
“This border holds immense economic potential for both countries. We must work together to remove all impediments to trade and strengthen the long-standing cultural and commercial ties between Nigeria and Benin Republic,” Adenuga said.
He warned that any officer or non-government personnel found obstructing legitimate trade or movement would face strict disciplinary measures, adding that traders and travelers are encouraged to report complaints directly to his office or through the Public Relations Officer for prompt intervention.
Highlighting key resolutions from the meeting, Adenuga disclosed that truck examinations will now be conducted exclusively at designated examination bays, ensuring transparency and efficiency in cargo clearance processes. He also noted the need to decongest the border by preventing the use of the area as a parking or storage zone, describing it as a transit corridor, not a holding ground.
Other issues discussed included:
·The timely removal of truck trackers to facilitate faster cargo movement.
·The reduction of unnecessary checkpoints along the corridor.
·Anti-corruption measures to ensure compliance with customs procedures.
·The continued use of dialogue and collaboration as tools for effective border management.
In his remarks, Lt. Col. Arnaud Midgrokan, Head of Benin Customs at the Krake Border and Co-Chair of the Joint Border Post (JBP), commended Comptroller Adenuga for his proactive leadership and commitment to partnership.
“This engagement is timely and productive. It opens a new chapter of cooperation between our services, and we are optimistic that it will yield sustainable solutions to our shared challenges,” Lt. Col. Midgrokan stated.
He assured that Benin Customs remains fully committed to continuous collaboration with its Nigerian counterpart to promote lawful trade, border security, and mutual economic growth.
The session was also attended by representatives of the Nigerian Embassy in Benin Republic, top security agencies, and business community leaders from both countries, all of whom pledged to maintain open dialogue and joint problem-solving mechanisms in the spirit of regional integration.
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